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Meet mezcal, the new (and improved) tequila. It's smoky, complex and versatile — it can be sipped on its own or mixed into a cocktail. It also has a diverse range, from smooth and subtle to bossy and spicy. It's no wonder this Mexican agave spirit is super hot right now.

The 19th annual Willow Park Wines & Spirits (WPWS) Charity Wine Auction, held Nov. 3 at WPWS, was surely one of the best events of the fall social season. The Venice-themed event was sold out weeks prior. More than 450 elegantly attired guests donned their Venetian finest to sip and bid on some of the finest libations there are. Superb samplings from the city’s top restaurants, dancing to the Real Deal Band and over-the-top live auction items ensured all had a memorable time. The event raised $230,000 for Alberta Guide Dog Association, The Poppy Fund & Veterans Food Bank, Haskayne School of Business and Prostate Cancer Centre.

While the snow is blowing outside, our residents are enjoying cozying up indoors next to our extravagant stone fireplace. Enjoying a social cup of coffee in our bistro is how our residents are choosing to stay warm this winter! Currently, we have a one-bedroom suite available. We invite you to come for a tour and see […]

An auto dealership isn’t the first place you might expect to get a pedicure or a manicure, but Lexus of Royal Oak prides itself in surprising people. When it opened in February 2014, Calgary’s second Lexus dealership aimed to set a high bar for luxury, not only in the types of vehicles on the lot, […]

ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen Baked Brie with Cranberry Chutney is a stylish party snack that’s great served with a plate of assorted crackers. It’s a warm, gooey alternative to a cold cheese plate, and the cranberries in the chutney bring holiday flair to the table. Mashed Potatoes with Brie is an easy upgrade from classic […]

As most of you already know there is no shortage of premium-priced red wine from the Okanagan Valley, in fact I’d say the majority of the better examples come in above the $40 mark, and in my mind anything over $40 can be considered premium. The question then is a simple one; are they worth it? There was a time, not so long ago, when I’d have said that most are not but the region has matured and there are now some serious reds to consider. I should add that in the white wine realm I believe that Canada can compete on a world scale but reds are another matter, especially for late ripening varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon (most notably). As we are getting closer to festive season I thought I would suggest a few serious wines from the valley that deliver the goods.

Discover the wineries of the Okanagan. With 44 wineries within a 20-minute drive of Penticton, you’ll have plenty to choose from. By the end of the day, you will be swirling, sniffing and sipping like a pro.

For the Calgary HeraldMy favourite part of Thanksgiving is the time between meal prep and dinner, when the afternoon stretches before me with the promise of cranberry sauce and stuffing while my stomach growls in anticipation of the feast. It’s indeed a happy hour, and both family conversation and autumn contemplation are enhanced by a fall cocktail (whose effects, naturally, are best felt on an empty tummy). But what to sip? The light spirits of summer have been replaced by the dark, spiced flavours of bourbon, cognac or even aged gin, and for this particular holiday we might pair them with tastes from the fall harvest and Thanksgiving table.

CALGARY - Albertans are increasingly turning to wine as a beverage of preference and that’s good news for the industry in British Columbia. Although beer remains the top choice for Albertans with just over $1 billion in sales in 2013, wine sales overall jumped by 11 per cent last year - the highest hike in the country and more than double the national average - to $614.2 million, according to Statistics Canada.

CALGARY - Calgary-based CRAFT Beer Market is partnering with First Growth Holdings Ltd. to open the first of five restaurants in the city of Shanghai in 2015. “When I started CRAFT I never imagined that we would be opening a location in China,” said founder and president PJ L’Heureux. “Our vision when we opened was simply to provide an experience to people that wasn’t available in the market. Fresh local food served alongside fresh craft beer all under one roof.”

CALGARY- Alberta craft brewers are worried about a potential shortage of malt barley in the aftermath of a September snowstorm that damaged crops across the southern half of the province. But farmers and malt suppliers say there’s no need for consumers to cry into their beer, as demand will likely still be “manageable” in spite of the smaller supply.

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